The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.

- H. L. Mencken

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so

-Bertrand Russell

What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ...

-James Branch Cabell

March 03, 2014 - 10:57 a.m.

New York Below Ground and Above

Last night I had all these plans for today's Wise Madness. Who stole them? I know it was you.

The problem was that yesterday was a good day but as Tolkien observed when Frodo was in Rivendell times that are good to live are not always good to write about. I might have to buy yet another copy of LOTR just so I will have it handy to look up exact quotes. I quote LOTR the way others quote the bible. The differences are I know my book is a fantasy and it's better written.

I lazed about my room most of the day then went out for late afternoon coffee and cake with a friend. I had a red velvet cupcake. I think that's my only chocolate but we have established that it can't be a good day without chocolate. I like the friend more than I like the chocolate. Why do I feel bad for chocolate when I say that? But that's not the point. The point is something as simple as meeting a friend and talking makes me as happy as anything. I love adventures but comfort is good too.

Then I was off to Trader Joe's. I have to remember to go to the Farmer's Market in Union Square today before therapy. I haven't been there in ages. Maybe I can find something interesting, at least some potatoes. I wonder if they are open after therapy. If so maybe this is the time I try ostrich meat. I can go straight home and have it for dinner. I probably won't as I have to go to the supermarket too.

I made soup last night and made it as conservatively as possible as the last attempt was a disaster.

After dinner I finally edited my backlog of photos on Dropbox. All the photos from my camera are automatically uploaded there and that's how I get them on my computer. I had hundreds of pictures to go through. So one thing I've wanted to post is pictures and videos I never got around to talking about.

First selfish people on the subway.

Nobody will mind if I totally block the door will they?

You can see how important I am. I get three seats.

This is in a class by itself

Maybe people on the subway are faceless.

But there's also culture in the subways.

14th street stop on the Eight Avenue line

We have opera in the subway stations

This is what I do on my bag on the train. I have never seen anyone else do this but it makes so much sense.

Some above ground pics of the City.

WTF?

This is a tribute to Tom Seaver, right?

The import store I go to after therapy.

The Reason I go there.

Kingston Ave and Eastern Parkway.

I love Lincoln Center

Crossing the Manhattan bridge in the fog.

My left eye is burning like there's something in it. I just washed it out but it still burns. This happens to me sometimes. I have no idea what is going on. It's making it very hard for me to write so I'm going to give up for today. And I just remembered what I wanted to write about too, Oh well I wrote it down and I'll write about it tomorrow. No way I can concentrate now